1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved waterbed motion reduction and hydraulic enhancement system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Waterbeds have grown in popularity over the past decade. One of the reasons for this growth in popularity has been the reduction of wave motion, particularly in terms of its intensity and duration. In the past, three principal methods have been used to control wave motion. The first method is to fill the mattress cavity with open weave or open cell structures such as fiber and PUR Foam. If used in sufficient quantity, these materials do an excellent job in reducing wave motion, but can be difficult to drain. A second method has been to use baffles attached to the top and/or bottom of the mattress bladder. While this method greatly reduces waves in the mattress, it places severe stress on the seals between the baffles and the mattress bladder. Such stresses can cause the bladder to fail and leak.
The third method of reducing wave motion is to provide a "free-floating" baffle system. As shown in FIG. 1B, such systems are constructed such that the baffle is really a chamber or box-like structure made of flexible polymer sheets such as PVC. Two sheets are dielectrically sealed to form a "sandwich" which encases floatation material such as closed-cell polyethylene foam. This sandwich construction forms a top floating sheet which is attached to the remainder of the baffle system. Small ports or apertures in the walls of the chambers create a hydraulic effect when the user places his body upon the top surface of the mattress, as shown in FIG. 1A, because water displacement within the chamber is limited.
Although such hydraulic chamber systems tend to be significantly easier to drain than fiber or foam-filled mattresses, they generally do not reduce waves as well as the attached baffle system. Because such systems are less waveless, severe shocks readily can be transferred from chamber to chamber. This leads to crumpling, folding, shifting, and flipping of the top floating sheet.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a waterbed mattress which is easy to drain while having enhanced wave reduction qualities;
It is another object of the present invention to provide a free floating baffle system with hydraulic effect chambers in which there is a reduced propensity for wave energy to be transferred from chamber to chamber;
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a free floating baffle system which is not prone to failures in the top floating sheet of such structures.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.